ins Bett gehen
The English phrase "go to bed" is translated into German as ins Bett gehen. Wiktionary also lists zu Bett gehen and schlafen gehen.
Meaning: to lie down to sleep (verb)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| ins Bett gehen | |
| zu Bett gehen | /t͡suː bɛt ˈɡeːən/ (standard, word by word) |
| schlafen gehen |
All these phrases are used to express the act of lying down to sleep.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ins Bett gehen is a contraction of in das Bett gehen, which literally means "to go into the bed".
Which one should you use?
ins Bett gehen focuses on the physical movement of entering the bed. In contrast, schlafen gehen focuses on the intention to sleep and is commonly used to mean "to go to sleep" or "to turn in for the night". zu Bett gehen is a slightly more formal or literary version of the phrase.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase ins Bett gehen, the preposition in requires the accusative case because it describes movement toward a destination.
Did you know?
- The German verb gehen is a hybrid of two different ancient roots: the present tense comes from a word meaning 'to leave' and the past tense from 'to walk'.
Examples in context
- Ich muss zu Bett gehen.I have to go to bed.This sentence shows how to express a personal necessity using zu Bett gehen.Tatoeba #908283 by jakov, translation #1395 by brauliobezerra
- Lass uns schlafen gehen.Let's go to bed.This sentence provides a suggestion to go to sleep using schlafen gehen.Tatoeba #2210143 by Espi, translation #1617818 by Spamster
- Du solltest schlafen gehen.You should go to bed.This sentence uses schlafen gehen to give advice.Tatoeba #945099 by Sudajaengi, translation #838689 by Scott
- Gehen Sie ins Bett, es ist schon spät.Go to bed, it is already late
- 94 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Julia are talking in the living room late at night.
- FelixIch bin sehr müde und werde jetzt ins Bett gehen.I am very tired and will go to bed now.
- JuliaMöchtest du, dass ich auch schon ins Bett gehe?Do you want me to go to bed already too?
- FelixJa, wir müssen morgen früh aufstehen.Yes, we have to get up early tomorrow.
- JuliaAlles klar, ich komme mit ins Bett gehen.Alright, I'll come along to go to bed.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “go to bed” translations and entries ins Bett gehen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (zu, Bett, gehen) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Bett, gehen, ins Bett gehen, schlafen, zu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
